Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Edgewood College baseball team made a strong statement late Saturday night and early Sunday morning at the Metrodome, topping UW-Oshkosh twice in a doubleheader. Just like last weekend, the Eagles got a pair of complete games from their starting pitchers, with Matt Krueger winning a 4-3 decision over the Titans and Scott Winters scoring a 2-1 victory.
Edgewood College took a quick 1-0 lead two batters into the game. Jimy Landwehr singled up the middle to open the game, and Ryan Walker followed with a ringing double to right center. Walker was thrown out trying to stretch the play into a triple, but Landwehr still scored on the play.
In the top of the second, Darren Besch and Scott Ortega earned one-out walks, before Landwehr singled to right field. Landwehr's base hit scored Besch and chased UW-Oshkosh starter Luke Westphal after just 10 batters faced. After the pitching change, Walker drove in his second run of the game with a ground out to second base and the Eagles claimed a 3-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Krueger was holding the UW-Oshkosh bats at bay. He surrendered only two walks through the first three innings and struck four. The Titans, the defending WIAC tri-champions, finally got on the board with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to cut the Eagles' lead to 3-2.
The Eagles plated a crucial insurance run in the sixth inning, with all the action coming after two were out. Ortega, Landwehr and Walker all walked in succession. With the bases full, Tim Barry hit a ground ball at UW-Oshkosh third baseman Andrew Eichstaedt, but Eichstaedt's throw was low and Titan first baseman Blake Berger couldn't hold his foot to the bag. Ortega scored the unearned run for a 4-2 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, Kyle Kannenberg hit a leadoff home run for the Titans, and UW-Oshkosh put runners on first and second with two outs, but Krueger induced an game ending ground out to Ortega. Landwehr ended the game with two hits, while Walker had a pair of runs batted in. Barry and Steve Binder each had a double in the Eagles' seven hit attack.
Krueger improved his record to 2-0 this season and 7-0 for his career with the Edgewood College (5-1). He struck out seven hitters, while allowing six hits and three walks.
In game two, Winters set out to top Krueger's performance. He gave up two hits in the first inning, but escaped the jam with a strikeout and a ground out. In the bottom of the second, the Eagles grabbed the lead. Barry led off with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. Seth Astroth then drove him home with a ground out to the shortstop.
UW-Oshkosh (2-2) tied the game with an unearned run in the fifth. Kyle Kannenberg reached on an error and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by hit by Derek Hiroskey.
Mitch Mogensen then got to be the hero in the sixth inning. Brandon Bartels pinch ran for Erik Massey who had reached base on a UW-Oshkosh error with one out. Bartels stole second base to put himself into scoring position. Then with two outs, Mogensen laced a single back up the middle allowing Bartels to score the go-ahead run from the second base.
UW-Oshkosh threatened to steal the game back in the seventh inning. The Titans put runners on first and third with two outs. UW-Oshkosh's Tyler Kamps hit a sinking liner to left field, but freshman Jake Zadra, who had come into the game in the sixth as a defensive replacement made a sliding catch to end the game.
Winters finished with a complete game five-hitter and allowed no earned runs. He struck out eight Titans hitters and gave up only two walks. Winters moved to 2-0 on the season with his second complete game in two starts. The two victories over UW-Oshkosh are the first in history for Edgewood College, although the two teams hadn't met since 2001.
Edgewood College will be off next week until they leave for their spring break trip. The Eagles will take on Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. before participating in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational with top-ranked St. Thomas (Minn.), St. Olaf (Minn.) and Purchase State (N.Y.).
